Questions regarding beliefs and practices of Protestantism. Also, questions that are seeking answers from a Protestant viewpoint.
29
votes
11answers
574 views
What is the basis of my fractured understanding of “Sola Scriptura”?
As a Catholic, I'm often baffled by other Christians who base their faith purely off personal interpretation of the Bible as the be-all-end-all proof for everything under the sun (which is what I mean ...
21
votes
7answers
1k views
Sex outside of marriage is a sin. But what about “less than sex”?
Inspired by Is masturbation a sin?
This is a tough subject that I've grappled with my whole life. It's clear in God's word that sex outside of marriage (adultery) is a sin.
But, what is acceptable ...
19
votes
5answers
728 views
Is murder allowed if God tells you to do it?
The Bible pretty clearly says not to murder (Exodus 20:13).
But if we examine Numbers 25 or 1Kings 18:40, we see God (or more accurately, his prophets) telling us to kill people. Indeed, entire ...
18
votes
7answers
2k views
What are the practical applications of “two will become one flesh”?
Mark 10:8 (NIV)
and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh.
What does this mean for a marriage? What are the practical applications of this? Obviously, this is ...
16
votes
4answers
397 views
Are Catholics like pagans, in Evangelical vision?
This question is based on my personal experience. Some time ago I had a discussion with a friend of mine who's an evangelical pastor.
In a very subtle way, he was asserting that I actually believe ...
15
votes
3answers
357 views
Protestant arguments for perpetual virginity of Mary
It's common knowledge that Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodoxy have the doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary. Protestants generally don't have that belief.
Less known is that Zwingli and ...
13
votes
8answers
315 views
Was Jesus finite or infinite? (human or God?)
I've always heard it said that Jesus was "completely human" and "completely God".
How could he be both human (finite by very nature) and God (infinite by very nature)?
13
votes
3answers
445 views
What is the difference between Evangelical and Protestant?
Just the other day, I heard somebody talking politics and contrasted the Roman Catholic church's political influence with "the Evangelical vote". In this sense, as is often done in US media, the word ...
12
votes
5answers
306 views
Is God of Anger or of Love?
Numbers 25 shows God as a god who destroys and kills anyone who aligns him/herself with the wrong deity. However, Matthew 5:39 talks about how we should "not resist an evil person".
How can we ...
12
votes
4answers
4k views
Does God test us?
I was working on a different question and I found that I couldn't actually find anywhere that shows that God actually tests us.
Psalms 26:2 (NIV)
Test me, LORD, and try me, examine my heart and ...
12
votes
4answers
470 views
Since God provided for the forgiveness of sins in the Old Testament, why do we need Jesus?
I thought of this when I was researching this question.
Leviticus 4 goes into great detail about the sacrifice that must be made in order for a sin to be forgiven. However, we see here that God ...
12
votes
1answer
119 views
According to Protestant trinitarians, what is the significance of the father-son relationship between God and Christ?
What is the significance of the father-son relationship between God and Christ in the Trinity? Non-trinitarians believe that Christ is literally the son of God, but that doesn't quite work with the ...
11
votes
8answers
821 views
How can Jesus, born of mankind, be sinless?
Very simple question really. If the sin of Adam is passed down through the generations, so that all of us are born with a sin nature, how can it be that Jesus was born of Mary (a human being), yet ...
11
votes
4answers
2k views
Why does Catholicism have priests but Protestantism does not?
The Catholic Church (and apparently Anglican or Episcopalian churches) have clergy with the title of "priest", as did Old Testament Judaism. Are Protestant "preachers", "reverends", "pastors", ...
11
votes
4answers
3k views
Why the difference in depiction of the cross between Catholics and Protestants?
As I understand it, Roman Catholic crosses have Jesus hanging on them, but Protestant crosses do not. I understood that Protestant crosses do not because they want to focus on the Resurrection, not ...
11
votes
3answers
883 views
Should protestants not make the sign of the Cross?
I'm not a Catholic, but I've been aware since I was little that Catholics will "Cross" themselves. Early on I felt like I shouldn't copy it as it always had been portrayed in tv/film as something ...
11
votes
7answers
334 views
How do schisms in the church fit into the plans of a monotheistic God?
Before 1054 a reasonable claim could be made that there existed "one holy catholic and apostolic Church", as the Nicene Creed puts it. Since then, the visible church has divided into at least three ...
11
votes
2answers
229 views
When was the OT canon as used by Protestants finalized?
At what date (and/or event) was the Old Testament canon currently recognized by most Protestants finalized? What is the earliest occurrence we have of it being referenced in it's current form and who ...
11
votes
1answer
309 views
Is there a hierarchy in the Trinity?
It seems that there is some form of hierarchy within the Trinity.
For example, these passages seem to indicate that the Holy Spirit is subservient to the Father and Jesus:
John 14:26 (NIV)
...
11
votes
1answer
212 views
Are there any Protestant beliefs which have their roots in Mormon doctrines?
Protestants often associate Mormonism with outlandish1 doctrines like innumerable Gods, people living on the sun, or special underwear that you can't take off2. But I am curious what lies at the ...
10
votes
4answers
144 views
Where did the ecclesiastical offices go?
In the Bible, there are three distinct titles:
Episcopai — literally administrator, these were tasked with overseeing a church/region
Presbyteros — a lesser title, still tasked with ...
10
votes
3answers
268 views
Did Jonah fail the test of a prophet?
I came across an article on the FAIR Mormon wiki that discusses the prophetic test (Deut. 18). It applies the test on some Biblical prophets, and shows how someone could claim these prophets fail the ...
10
votes
4answers
565 views
What is the biblical basis for salvation by faith alone (sola fide)?
One of the key issues in the Reformation was the doctrine of Sola Fide, that is, that salvation is by faith alone, apart from works.
What, then, is the biblical basis for this belief?
10
votes
2answers
348 views
What is the basis for Cessationism?
Cessationism is the belief held by some protestants that the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as prophecy, do not occur in present day. The general thinking is that these gifts "ceased" at ...
10
votes
4answers
294 views
When did the one-way monologue sermon first become a normal feature of church assemblies?
Of course Jesus preached a lot of monologue sermons, but I have noticed that Jesus did not usually preach sermons like nearly every church does today. He never seems to have, or at least rarely ...
10
votes
2answers
403 views
Difference between Augustinianism and Calvinism
Is there a difference between Augustinianism and (Five Points) Calvinism as they relate to the doctrine of salvation?
If so, what is the difference?
10
votes
2answers
916 views
Why are wives considered the “weaker partner”? (1 Peter 3:7)
In 1 Peter, we read:
1 Peter 3:7 (NIV)
Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the ...
10
votes
1answer
116 views
Do any Protestant denominations practice meditative or contemplative prayer?
Having read David's answer to How much are psalms and other prayers from Bible understood as actual prayer in Protestantism?, I wonder whether any Protestants practice meditative or contemplative ...
10
votes
2answers
162 views
How do Protestants interpret “baptized for the dead” in 1 Corinthians 15:29?
1 Corinthians 15:29 (KJV)
Else what shall they do which are baptized
for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized
for the dead?
I know that the LDS Church ...
9
votes
2answers
121 views
How do we reconcile the futility of Ecclesiastes with the reward of heaven?
There's no question that Christianity believes in heaven. We have a tag here heaven filled with questions about it.
Having said this, there are many places in the Old Testament that speak of the ...
8
votes
4answers
404 views
Why do many protestants congregations not require attendance at services on Christmas and Easter?
It came to my attention from living, driving around and listening to Christian radio that many Protestants do not have any services on what Catholics would consider solemnities (Christmas and Easter ...
8
votes
2answers
158 views
How do “Sola Fide” adherents reconcile with the three aspects of faith?
Historical Protestantism (particularly in the Lutheran and Reformed traditions) have since the Magisterial Reformation held to two doctrines relating what is required of an individual for salvation.
...
8
votes
1answer
70 views
Why is the word ‘concupiscence’ so important in understanding the difference between a Catholic view and a Protestant view of ‘Original Sin’?
I have noticed this word ‘concupiscence’ a lot while studying Catholic Theology. It seems to significantly change what ‘Original Sin’ means, making a Catholic meaning of ‘Original Sin’ very different ...
7
votes
6answers
427 views
What did God mean when He said 'lest they live forever'?
I was talking to a Jehovah's witness who did not believe in the immortality of soul and he pointed out a scripture to me.
Genesis 3:22 And the LORD God said, Behold ... lest he put forth his
...
7
votes
2answers
178 views
Paul's suggestion to not marry vs Great Protestant Theologians
Paul states:
1 Cor: 27 Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife.
Yet, if we look at the great Protestant theologians: ...
7
votes
1answer
308 views
When (and why) did the empty cross v.s. crucifix split happen?
Today, we have Catholic and Orthodox churches (and a few others) using the crucifix whereas most Protestant denominations have an empty cross. Did this empty-cross split happen around when Martin ...
7
votes
2answers
137 views
For Protestants who believe our dead bodies will literally be raised from the grave in the resurrection
Some Protestants believe that in the "resurrection" we will receive new bodies.
Other Protestants believe that in the resurrection, our old bodies will literally rise up out of the ground for us to ...
6
votes
7answers
360 views
Why are Independent Baptist Fundamentalists labelled Protestants?
Something that always bothers me which I witness to Catholics: the well-meaning ones tell me I am a Protestant and say that "we protested the Catholic Church". This isn't true, the Baptist Church was ...
6
votes
4answers
207 views
How do Protestants interpret Matthew 16:13-20
The verses reads like this:
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; ...
6
votes
3answers
133 views
What do the words Catholic and Protestant mean?
Also, what is the history of use and what languages do they come from? Is it a fitting name today or is it outdated? How do the two relate to each other?
6
votes
2answers
288 views
Counterarguments to “KJV-only”?
Some people believe the King James Version of the Bible is the only version English-speakers should be using, as it is the only inspired translation. (This is referred to as "KJV-onlyism.")
...
6
votes
2answers
118 views
Why is Infant Baptism considered to be invalid by so many Protestant denominations?
Catholics and several Protestant denominations (and maybe even Orthodox churches) practice Infant Baptism, while many other Protestant denominations do not.
This question addressed the argument for ...
6
votes
1answer
521 views
What are the protestant arguments against a sacramental economy?
Given that all the 7 sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Marriage, Holy Orders Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation) are each explicitly mentioned in the Bible as commands put forth ...
6
votes
2answers
226 views
What is the Protestant argument against the doctrine of Purgatory?
The Roman Catholic Church teaches the idea of Purgatory, which is defined by Wikipedia as follows:
Purgatory is, according to Catholic teaching, the state or place of
purification or temporary ...
6
votes
1answer
1k views
What is the difference between Protestantism and Evangelicalism?
What is the difference between Protestantism and Evangelicalism? Are all Protestants also Evangelicals? Are all Evangelicals also Protestants?
6
votes
1answer
278 views
Protestant numbering of the 10 Commandments
With the exception of Lutherans (who apparently use the same numbering system for the Decalogue as Catholics) Do other Protestants have a consistent method for numbering the 10 commandments?
...
6
votes
1answer
114 views
Honor and solidarity
Ideally, one would both be able to be honorable (i.e. to do the right thing especially with regard to others) and be in solidarity with relatives and friends (i.e. to support them, especially when ...
5
votes
3answers
194 views
Do Evangelical leaders (televangelists, megachurch pastors, etc…) not consider themselves Protestants?
Kind of based off this question contrasting Evangelicalism and Protestantism. My assumption as a Catholic (which you are certainly more than free to trounce upon) is that since modern day ...
5
votes
2answers
88 views
How do married clergy (preachers) in Protestant denominations support their family?
In Roman Catholicism the clergy is predominantly celibate and hence there is no pressure of sustaining a family.
What exactly is the system in a Protestant clergy? Are they employed in a gainful ...
5
votes
3answers
144 views
Who do mainline Protestants believe an “archangel” (such as Michael) to be?
Some sects including Jehovah's Witnesses believe the archangel Michael to be one in the same with Christ. The basic premise of this claim seems to stem from the unique usage of the role archangel ...
